Adding Depth to Small Spaces
By Frank Boardman, AIA
Senior Vice President of Sales
Adding Depth to Small Spaces
By Frank Boardman, AIA
Senior Vice President of Sales
Whenever I visit a large city like New York or Chicago, I am always a bit nervous about my hotel stay. The congestion of these cities makes it increasingly difficult to find a nice hotel in a good location with space. Even the most luxurious hotels in these cities seem to have the smallest, most compact rooms. Oftentimes, when put in these situations, I try to stay out of the room as much as possible. The cave-like ambiance of the hotel room can feel increasingly claustrophobic as my trip goes on. It comes with the difficulties of fitting an exorbitant amount of people in such a small space, and having three grown children and a dog, I could use all the space I can get. So how can hotels put in a small situation make their rooms feel bigger and more spacious for their guests?
Utilize your windows
Natural light is your best friend when it comes to small spaces. This will brighten up the room immensely, making it have less of that “cave” like feel. Additionally, when your guests feel like they can see the outdoors, they won’t feel as cramped or confined within the space of their rooms. Plus, they appreciate an immersion in the surrounding area.
Light
So often we fail to see the importance of bright and beautiful light in our hotel rooms. I cannot even count the numerous times I have had to turn on every single light in my hotel room just to feel like I still could see what was in front of me. Hotels need to make sure they are properly lighting their spaces. It will create a livelier and larger feel for the hotel room and beautify the space. Whether to choose warm or cool lighting often depends on the amount of natural light in the space or the color scheme of the hotel.
Storage
The last thing anyone wants is clutter in a small space. Clutter not only makes a room feel cramped but as if there’s a lack of cleanliness as well. If you do have small hotel rooms make sure you are providing areas for storage of suitcases and clothing. That way, even if the space is small, your guests at least feel like there is a place for everything.